Lawn Mowers: Cordless and Electric Lawn Mowing Machines

(Page 4 of 5)

April/May 2005
By Scott Hollis 
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The Black & Decker’s folding handle allows for storage in tight spaces, and the heavy-duty polymer deck is durable and easy to clean. Cutting height ranges from 1½ to 3½ inches with one-touch adjustment, although the mower we tested had a problem maintaining the selected height; the setting usually slipped after hitting a bump. Its two-year warranty covers all parts.

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Overall, the Black & Decker mower handled the best among the three we tested for its power, stability and longer-lasting battery. This mower comes close to matching the performance of a gas-powered mower.

The Bottom Line

Cordless, battery-powered lawn mowers are quiet and work great for small to medium-sized lawns, require less maintenance and cause less airborne pollution than gas-powered mowers. Electric mowers still are at a disadvantage on larger lawns, however, because they are not self-propelled and can have trouble handling heavy or wet grass. Upfront cost is considerably more than a gas-powered mower, but cordless, battery-powered mowers should save you money over time, thanks to lower energy and maintenance costs.

Mow with the Power of the Sun

You’ll be the talk of the neighborhood if you use a solar-charged, battery-powered mower like the one shown in the Image Gallery (photo 3). Tom Lopez, owner of Free Power Systems in Longmont, Colo., says his solar-charged mower adds 15 to 20 minutes of run time per charge, in addition to full battery charging. He sells solar-charging Black & Decker mowers with a choice of photovoltaic (PV) panels that can be attached to the mower (see photo) or mounted on a garage roof. The roof extension kit makes it possible to recharge the lawn mower while storing it indoors.

“People who want to use the solar-recharging lawn mower in an urban area might want to choose the extension kit for theft protection,” Lopez says Bob Perkins of McGuckin Hardware in Boulder, Colo., sells Free Power System’s solar mower and reports, “I was a little skeptical at first, but after the mower ran out of its first charge, I went inside for a sandwich and drink, and after I came out again, the solar panels had already recharged the mower.”

If you already own a battery-powered lawn mower, home PV-conversion kits also are available so you can use PV panels for recharging. Several online sources sell the panels and components needed to make a working solar-charged conversion.

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